POSSIBILITIES OF APPLICATION OF THE AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFRACTIONS OF TRAFFIC REGULATIONS - ACTUAL SITUATION AND AIMS IN BAVARIA

• NCJ Number: 64917
• Journal: Schriftenreihe der Polizei-Fuehrungsakademie Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (1979) Pages: 235-251
• Author(s): R BAUER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Walter Rau Verlag
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: German
• Country: West Germany (Former)
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS USED IN BAVARIA, WEST GERMANY, IS INTENDED TO HELP ENFORCE REFORMED TRAFFIC LAWS.

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE REFORMED TRAFFIC LAWS ARE DECRIMINALIZATION OF CERTAIN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, ATTAINMENT OF UNIFORM SPEED LIMITS, AND HOLDING DOWN COSTS FOR PROSECUTION OF TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. THE CENTRAL OFFICE FOR FINES OF THE BAVARIAN POLICE RECORDS FINES DAILY ON MAGNETIC TAPES WHICH ARE SENT TO THE BAVARIAN STATISTICS OFFICE. THE STATISTICS OFFICE'S COMPUTERS HANDLE RECORDING OF PAYMENT OR NONPAYMENT OF FINES, WARNING NOTICES, AND ARREST THREATS; THESE FUNCTIONS WILL BE ASSUMED IN THE FUTURE BY THE CENTRAL FINE OFFICE'S OWN COMPUTERS. THE MUNICH PROCEDURE FOR ENFORCING FINES FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS REQUIRES (1) POLICE OFFICERS' GATHERING AND PASSING ON INFORMATION AND (2) AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING AT A CENTRAL OFFICE. COMPUTERIZED FUNCTIONS INCLUDE SENDING DEMANDS FOR PAYMENT OF FINES AND WRITTEN WARNINGS OF NONPAYMENT, AS WELL AS RECORDING INFORMATION ON HEARINGS AND DISPATCHING FINE AND HEARING NOTICES FROM DIRECT INPUT DATA. A SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE FACILITATES RECORDING OF MASS VIOLATIONS SUCH AS SPEEDING AND GOING THROUGH RED LIGHTS. FROM 1973 TO 1977 MORE THAN 4.4 MILLION VIOLATIONS AND 6.9 MILLION FORMS WERE PROCESSED. THE SYSTEM IN SWABIA, MIDDLE FRANCONIA, AND LOWER FRANCONIA EMPLOYS FIVE COMPUTER-TRAINED OFFICIALS TO CARRY OUT SIMILAR BOOKKEEPING, WARNING, AND STATISTICAL FUNCTIONS, AND A SEPARATE SYSTEM FOR UPPER BAVARIA IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES. THE SYSTEMS ARE CAPABLE OF STORING FURTHER KINDS OF DATA, OF TRANSFERRING INFORMATION ON-LINE OR OFF-LINE TO CENTRAL COMPUTERS, AND OF PRODUCING STANDARD LETTERS, STATISTICS, AND INVENTORIES. THE SYSTEM HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF SAVING PERSONNEL AND EXPENSE IN TIMES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC, WHILE RAISING REVENUES FROM FINES COLLECTED AND INTENSIFYING TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE. MODELS OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED REQUIRE A POLICE SYSTEM IN WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT HIGHLY CENTRALIZED. ILLUSTRATIONS SHOW THE EXACT FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATION OF THE SYSTEMS. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)